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Simon Craven

@simoncraven.bsky.social

650 followers 510 following 2K posts

Writer/ editor/ photographer/ filmmaker Producer and general behind-scenes at https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineWarr/videos Currently no access to DMs on here

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Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 14d

New video! In which @cathwarr.bsky.social investigates the mystery of an ancient battle, and is lightly menaced by some sheep youtu.be/mf6_GIJdgUE?...

Investigating the Battle of Brunanburh Mystery

YouTube video by Catherine Warr

youtu.be

Reposted by Simon Craven

Fade In @fadeinpro.com · 5h

A trillion dollars, hmm? So what can I do with it?

"Turn your kitten pics into cartoons. Free with ChatGPT."

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the babahuck @tylerhuckabee.bsky.social · 14h

In 2004, Parisian police were conducting a training exercise in the french catacombs and found, after moving past a desk and a tape playing audio of snarling dogs, a fully functional movie theater and bar. When they returned 3 days later, the equipment was gone, with a note: “Do not try to find us.”

Members of the force's sports squad, responsible
- among other tasks - for policing the 170 miles of tunnels, caves, galleries and catacombs that underlie large parts of Paris, stumbled on the complex while on a training exercise beneath the Palais de Chaillot, across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower.
After entering the network through a drain next to the Trocadero, the officers came across a tarpaulin marked: Building site, No access.
Behind that, a tunnel held a desk and a closed-circuit TV camera set to automatically record images of anyone passing. The mechanism also triggered a tape of dogs barking, "clearly designed to frighten people off," the spokesman said.
Further along, the tunnel opened into a vast 400 sq metre cave some 18m underground, "like an underground amphitheatre, with terraces cut into the rock and chairs".

There the police found a full-sized cinema screen, projection equipment, and tapes of a wide variety of films, including 1950s film noir classics and more recent thrillers. None of the films were banned or even offensive, the spokesman said.
A smaller cave next door had been turned into an informal restaurant and bar. "There were bottles of whisky and other spirits behind a bar, tables and chairs, a pressure-cooker for making couscous," the spokesman said.
"The whole thing ran off a professionally installed electricity system and there were at least three phone lines down there."
Three days later, when the police returned accompanied by experts from the French electricity board to see where the power was coming from, the phone and electricity lines had been cut and a note was lying in the middle of the floor: "Do not," it said, "try to find us."

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Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 16h

"Just a few notes"

Marjorie James Keenan @unenthusiast.com · 21h

In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.

rm -rf ~/

hammancheez @hammancheez.bsky.social · 22h

"The chancellor approved it"

Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 19h

final frame from the "But it might work for us" meme

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Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 1d

Niche, very niche

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The Ineffable Horror of Joe Muggs @joemuggs.bsky.social · 1d

These people have devolved into medieval alchemists, and not in a good, fun way with cool hats.

Jacob Aron @jjaron.bsky.social · 1d

Another one for the list

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Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 1d

My cartoon for the books page in this week’s @theguardian.com

Title: Where writers really get their ideas.

A writer, holding a note in his outstretched hand approaches a cart in the park. The front of the cart reads 'Fresh ideas' and a colourful umbrella shades the server who is reaching deep into the body of the cart (much as an ice-cream vendor might) and saying:
"I'm all out of mind-blowing concepts and heart-rending narratives, but I've got an acerbic observation, an unexpected outcome and a couple of amusing notions."

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Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 1d

Cheeky

Adam B. Vary @adambvary.bsky.social · 2d

I wish I was surprised that Deadline claims it asked questions that were actually asked by me and other journalists at this James Gunn press conference. No one from Deadline even *submitted questions* for it (and I know, because I moderated). This is just brazen and sad.

Reposted by Simon Craven

Karthik Sankaran @rajakorman.bsky.social · 1d

The Uncanny Valet

Andrew Lawrence @ndrew.bsky.social · 1d

our economy is currently being propped up by the promise of billions of fully autonomous robot butlers coming in a year or so

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Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 1d

But, suitably prompted, I’ve just found a second-hand dvd so look forward to an afternoon’s viewing and podcast-listening shortly

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Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 1d

It is. All I’ve ever experienced from it is the absolutely excellent theme tune, off this LP which I wore smooth as a kid

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Bethany Black @bethanyblack.bsky.social · 1d

“Best regards”

A letter from STANLEY KUBRICK
August 27, 1970
James T. Aubrey, Jr.
Metro Goldwyn Mayer
245N Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Dear James,
It has come to my attention that you and your
studio are considering producing a sequel to "2001:
A Space Odyssey" over my objections. My attorney informs me that you hold the option and, legally. there is little I can do to stop you.
However, I'd like you to know that I own the tapir bone prop from 2001 - the one "Moonwatcher" throws into the sky. If you attempt to make a sequel, I will cram that temur up your ass so far, it will take an as yet undiscovered alien super-intelligence to figure out how to dislodge it. Seriously, don't fuck with me.
Best regards,
Stanley Kubrick

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Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 2d

Kendrick at the Super Bowl, meme edition

Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 2d

Massively under-appreciated colour, IMO

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Sarah Dempster @dempster2000.bsky.social · 2d

7 reasons why The Thing (1982) is a Christmas film:

1) snow
2) bearded men concealing surprises
3) compulsory party games
4) introverts shunning group activities
5) digestive issues
6) revellers bursting open to reveal partially assimilated canine lifeforms
7) knitwear

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Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 2d

Further down we get to his more secular concerns

Thiel, whose net worth is around $27 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, also used his private talks to criticize financial regulations. He said such rules were a sign that a singular world government has begun to emerge that could be taken over by an Antichrist figure who could then use it to exert control over people.
“It’s become quite difficult to hide one’s money,” Thiel said, according to the recordings. “An incredible machinery of tax treaties, financial surveillance and sanctions architecture has been constructed.” Wealth gives the “illusion of power and autonomy,” Thiel added, according to the recordings, “but you have this sense it could be taken away at any moment.”

Reposted by Simon Craven

Owen K.C. Stephens (He/Him) @owenkcstephens.bsky.social · 6d

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Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 3d

Bravely running the risk of the world changing and making it mainstream…

Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 3d

The difference between someone who has read about being a writer, and an actual writer

Juno Rylee Schultz @junoryleejournalism.com · 3d

David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)

SHAPIRO: OK, so you've spent your career creating television without Al, and I could imagine today you thinking, boy, I wish I had had that tool to solve those thorny problems...
SIMON: What?
SHAPIRO: ...Or saying...
SIMON: You imagine that?
SHAPIRO: ...Boy, if that had existed, it would have screwed me over.
SIMON: I don't think Al can remotely challenge what writers do at a fundamentally creative level.
SHAPIRO: But if you're trying to transition from scene five to scene six, and you're stuck with that transition, you could imagine plugging that portion of the script into an Al and say, give me 10 ideas for how to transition this.
SIMON: I'd rather put a gun in my mouth.

Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 3d

The difference between someone who thinks they know a bit about writing, and an actual writer

Juno Rylee Schultz @junoryleejournalism.com · 3d

David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)

Reposted by Simon Craven

emily moonlight @threnody.bsky.social · 3d

just watched a dozen people ask microsoft copilot experts their most pressing questions and those questions were 90% “how do i turn it off?” and “when i turn it off, is it really off or is it spying on me?”

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Georgia Cook @georgiacooked.bsky.social · 3d

Still searching for an editor for this novella! In the brief gap of time I have money aside to pay for it.

Georgia Cook @georgiacooked.bsky.social · 11d

Reaching out tentative feelers for an editor for a complete 38k queer historical gothic/horror novella.

(Bots will be blocked on sight)

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Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 3d

It’s almost the furry hot water bottle season, which always helps me if back hurts when sneeze

Simon Craven @simoncraven.bsky.social · 3d

What happened next

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Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 4d

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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